Tag: Sappers

Salonika Campaign Society Battlefield Tour 2026

20 – 29 September 2026

The ‘Sappers in Salonika’ Tour

Led by Alan Wakefield, the Salonika Campaign Society is offering a chance to visit key sites associated with British efforts during the Salonika Campaign, 1915-1918.

The overall theme of the tour will be the role of the Royal Engineers with the British Salonika Force.

Locations will include the Doiran battlefield, where the BSF suffered 35% of its total battle casualties; the Struma Valley, where XVI Corps faced the threat of endemic malaria as well as their Bulgarian adversaries; and Kosturino Ridge, where 10th (Irish) Division made a stand in the Winter of 1915. Time will also be spent on the Birdcage Line, built to defend the city and port of Salonika from Bulgarian attack in 1915-1916. We will also attend commemorations to remember all those who served and died during the campaign.

Proposed itinerary

Sunday 20 September
  • Tour begins late morning with meeting at Thessaloniki airport
  • Ceremony of Remembrance at CWGC Kirechkoi-Hortakoi Military Cemetery
  • Overnight in Serres.
Monday 21 September
  • A study of a range of operations in the Struma Valley – final locations to be confirmed but to include RE river crossing methods
  • Visit to Strimoniko (formerly Orliak) to discuss RE role in signals and lines of communications
  • CWGC Struma Cemetery
  • Overnight in Serres.
Tuesday 22 September
  • Dova Tepe Fort in the Krusha Balkan Hills
  • Doiran Memorial and CWGC Cemetery
  • Visit to Akritas (formerly Vladaya) to view British positions
  • Overnight in Doiran.
Wednesday 23 September
  • Visits to La Tortue; Petit Couronne; Hill 340 – to include RE involvement in raids and major operations against Petit Couronne
  • Overnight in Doiran.
Thursday 24 September
  • Visit the 22nd Division Memorial
  • Visit to the ‘Devil’s Eye’ Observation Post on Grand Couronne
  • Visit to The Hilt – key position in Bulgarian second line.
Friday 25 September
  • A Day on Kosturino Ridge
  • Rocky Peak and Ormanli village
  • Memesli village
  • Site of Kajali village
  • Crete Rivet and Crete Simonet
  • Tatarli village
  • 10th (Irish) Division Memorial
  • Overnight in Doiran.
Saturday 26 September
  • Visits to sites on the Vardar sector and in the Krusha Balkan Hills – to include some of the following:
    • Horseshoe Hill
    • Bowls Barrow
    • Machukovo (now Evzoni)
    • Site of Rattray’s Bridges (Krusha Balkan Hills)
    • Mavroplagia (formerly Karamudli) village – RE aerial cableway
  • Overnight in Kilkis.
Sunday 27 September
  • Attend Official Commemorations at the Five Nations Memorial, Polykastro
  • CWGC Karasouli Cemetery
  • Kilindir (now Kilindria) railway station – to discuss RE role in railway operating
  • Overnight in Kilkis.
Monday 28 September
  • Birdcage line – including 99th Field Coy. bridge position
  • Lembet Road Allied Military Cemetery
  • Thessaloniki Port
  • Overnight in Thessaloniki.
Tuesday 29 September
  • End of tour.

If you are interested in joining the tour please contact SCS Chair, Alan Wakefield, to get your name on the emailing list for further details: aj.wakefield@talktalk.net

This information is also available as a PDF file for easier downloading and printing:

SCS 2026 Battlefield Tour Information at March 2026Download